"The last days were so bad that we had to say -- and did say -- 'Enough is enough', " said Ambassador Gabriela Shalev.

CNN: U.N. chief calls for end to Gaza violence

They asked in the paint shop how long the bad weather would last and were advised that the outlook for several days was not good.

NEWYORKER: The Woman of the House

Several IMF officials have pointed out in recent days that they had warned about the dangers of bad debt in the US mortgage market that last summer sparked the continuing global financial woes.

BBC: IMF admits late to act on crunch